Wolfenstein parametrization reexamined.

The Wolfenstein parametrization of the 3 × 3 Kobayashi-Maskawa (KM) matrix V is modified by keeping its unitarity up to the accuracy of O(λ). This modification can self-consistently lead to the off-diagonal asymmetry of V : |Vij| 2 − |Vji| 2 = Z ∑ k ǫijk with Z ≈ Aλ(1 − 2ρ), which is comparable in magnitude with the Jarlskog parameter of CP violation J ≈ Aλη . We constrain the ranges of J and Z by using the current experimental data, and point out that the possibility of a symmetric KM matrix has almost been ruled out. PACS numbers: 12.15Ff, 11.30.Er, 13.25Hw E-mail: [email protected] 1 Within the standard electroweak model, the 3 × 3 Kobayashi-Maskawa (KM) matrix V offers a natural description of quark mixing and CP violation [1]. The unitarity of V leads to a rephasing invariant measure of CP violation (the Jarlskog parameter J [2]) Im ( VilVjmV ∗ imV ∗ jl )